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84
necessary.” These methods included the use
of intimidation— WGU club members would
“ announce on all occasions that they would
succeed if they had to shoot every negro in
the city.” To facilitate their goal, all
members were armed and paraded the
streets, day and night. Dowling reported
that the red shirts worn by him and his men
were provided by the county Democratic
Party. Dowling, captain of the Rough
Riders, provided his men with whiskey
during parades to “ fire them up, and make
them fiercer and more terrorizing in their
conduct.” Even after Mayor Silas Wright
ordered the closure of saloons, Dowling
claimed that congressional candidate John
D. Bellamy Jr. “ distributed the whiskey
from his office.” 39
Activities in Wilmington again
mirrored the statewide campaign with the
growth of a Red Shirt contingent towards
the end of the campaign. According to
several of Wilmington’s Populists and
Republicans, the Red Shirts provided a
frightful, dangerous incentive to remain
quiet and at home in the weeks prior to the
election. 40 In Wilmington, a large Red Shirt
rally was held on November 3 in which
participants wearing their regalia marched or
rode horses throughout town led by Chief
Marshal Roger Moore and his aides. The
leader of the “ Fifth Ward Rough Riders” in
39The information from Dowling regarding his
activity in the Red Shirt/ Rough Rider brigade as well
as in the WGU was obtained by Republican Oliver
Dockery, Bellamy’s opponent in the 1898 election.
Dockery challenged the validity of Bellamy’s
election and subpoenaed Dowling’s testimony.
Dowling was rewarded with a city job after the
violence but, by 1900, had several run- ins with
Wilmington leaders after the 1898 campaign and had
no compulsion to protect them while giving
testimony in 1900. Winston- Salem Union-
Republican, March 15, 1900.
40 L. H. Bryant testified in 1899 that he was a
Populist and that armed men, carpenters from the
railroad, visited his home and told him not to vote.
Contested Election Case, 394- 5.
the parade was G. W. Bornemann. Another
leader of the Red Shirts/ Rough Riders was
Mike Dowling. The parade began
downtown and, after a procession through
traditionally black neighborhoods,
particularly Brooklyn, ended at Hilton Park
where there were a number of speakers and
a large picnic. 41 Although contemporary
newspaper accounts pointed to the peaceful
conduct of the rally, just one day later the
Rough Riders got out of hand. “ Condemned
by all true and good citizens,” the Rough
Riders spilled into South Front Street and
jeopardized all of the careful planning
initiated by the Democrats as they attacked
“ inoffensive persons” and “ ran amuck” on
the streets. The next day, November 5, the
newspaper reprimanded the men and
explained that “ in their wild rowdyism, they
represented nothing but themselves” and
nearly “ invited riot.” 42 Chief of Police John
41 It is unknown how many men participated in the
rally. The Dispatch claimed 100 Red Shirts were in
the parade and that over 1,000 people gathered at
Hilton Park. Henry L. Hewett testified that he rode
in the procession but would not estimate the number
of participants. Chief of Police John Melton also
testified that on the day of the Red Shirt parade there
was sporadic shooting into homes, particularly that of
Dixon Toomer, and into a black school on Campbell
Square. Melton identified Theodore Swann as the
leader of the Rough Riders. Evening Dispatch
( Wilmington), November 3, 1898; Contested Election
Case, 219, 360- 387.
42 Jim Worth wrote to his wife: “ We had a little row
last night about dark that might have brought on
something worse. Some of the Fifth Ward “ Rough
Riders” on a spree ran foul of some darkies
downtown early in the evening and maltreated
several. The boys were “ run in” by the police a little
later and were today fined $ 25.00 each and the costs.
Rather expensive “ fun” for that class of boys. Down
on Front Street about dark last night they tackled
every nigger that came along regardless and ran
several across the street and into nearby alleys.
Fortunately they had no arms or there might have
been serious trouble as a crowd of both colors
quickly formed; but very little was done except to
make the boys move on.” Jim Worth to Josephine,
November 4, 1898, James S. Worth Papers, Southern

84
necessary.” These methods included the use
of intimidation— WGU club members would
“ announce on all occasions that they would
succeed if they had to shoot every negro in
the city.” To facilitate their goal, all
members were armed and paraded the
streets, day and night. Dowling reported
that the red shirts worn by him and his men
were provided by the county Democratic
Party. Dowling, captain of the Rough
Riders, provided his men with whiskey
during parades to “ fire them up, and make
them fiercer and more terrorizing in their
conduct.” Even after Mayor Silas Wright
ordered the closure of saloons, Dowling
claimed that congressional candidate John
D. Bellamy Jr. “ distributed the whiskey
from his office.” 39
Activities in Wilmington again
mirrored the statewide campaign with the
growth of a Red Shirt contingent towards
the end of the campaign. According to
several of Wilmington’s Populists and
Republicans, the Red Shirts provided a
frightful, dangerous incentive to remain
quiet and at home in the weeks prior to the
election. 40 In Wilmington, a large Red Shirt
rally was held on November 3 in which
participants wearing their regalia marched or
rode horses throughout town led by Chief
Marshal Roger Moore and his aides. The
leader of the “ Fifth Ward Rough Riders” in
39The information from Dowling regarding his
activity in the Red Shirt/ Rough Rider brigade as well
as in the WGU was obtained by Republican Oliver
Dockery, Bellamy’s opponent in the 1898 election.
Dockery challenged the validity of Bellamy’s
election and subpoenaed Dowling’s testimony.
Dowling was rewarded with a city job after the
violence but, by 1900, had several run- ins with
Wilmington leaders after the 1898 campaign and had
no compulsion to protect them while giving
testimony in 1900. Winston- Salem Union-
Republican, March 15, 1900.
40 L. H. Bryant testified in 1899 that he was a
Populist and that armed men, carpenters from the
railroad, visited his home and told him not to vote.
Contested Election Case, 394- 5.
the parade was G. W. Bornemann. Another
leader of the Red Shirts/ Rough Riders was
Mike Dowling. The parade began
downtown and, after a procession through
traditionally black neighborhoods,
particularly Brooklyn, ended at Hilton Park
where there were a number of speakers and
a large picnic. 41 Although contemporary
newspaper accounts pointed to the peaceful
conduct of the rally, just one day later the
Rough Riders got out of hand. “ Condemned
by all true and good citizens,” the Rough
Riders spilled into South Front Street and
jeopardized all of the careful planning
initiated by the Democrats as they attacked
“ inoffensive persons” and “ ran amuck” on
the streets. The next day, November 5, the
newspaper reprimanded the men and
explained that “ in their wild rowdyism, they
represented nothing but themselves” and
nearly “ invited riot.” 42 Chief of Police John
41 It is unknown how many men participated in the
rally. The Dispatch claimed 100 Red Shirts were in
the parade and that over 1,000 people gathered at
Hilton Park. Henry L. Hewett testified that he rode
in the procession but would not estimate the number
of participants. Chief of Police John Melton also
testified that on the day of the Red Shirt parade there
was sporadic shooting into homes, particularly that of
Dixon Toomer, and into a black school on Campbell
Square. Melton identified Theodore Swann as the
leader of the Rough Riders. Evening Dispatch
( Wilmington), November 3, 1898; Contested Election
Case, 219, 360- 387.
42 Jim Worth wrote to his wife: “ We had a little row
last night about dark that might have brought on
something worse. Some of the Fifth Ward “ Rough
Riders” on a spree ran foul of some darkies
downtown early in the evening and maltreated
several. The boys were “ run in” by the police a little
later and were today fined $ 25.00 each and the costs.
Rather expensive “ fun” for that class of boys. Down
on Front Street about dark last night they tackled
every nigger that came along regardless and ran
several across the street and into nearby alleys.
Fortunately they had no arms or there might have
been serious trouble as a crowd of both colors
quickly formed; but very little was done except to
make the boys move on.” Jim Worth to Josephine,
November 4, 1898, James S. Worth Papers, Southern